GeForce RTX 3060 12GB vs Radeon RX 6800 XT
Performance-wise the Radeon RX 6800 XT is out front, dramatically faster, roughly 106% up on the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
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Comparable or lower specs
Radeon RX 6800 XT vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon RX 6800 XT vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
The Radeon RX 6800 XT is dramatically faster, around 106% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the Radeon RX 6800 XT is comfortable at 1440p, while the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is better matched to 1080p.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB starts at $300 CAD against $550 CAD for the Radeon RX 6800 XT. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the Radeon RX 6800 XT wins on performance-per-dollar by about 12%. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is trading below its $329 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal. The Radeon RX 6800 XT is trading below its $649 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the lighter draw at 170W against the Radeon RX 6800 XT's 300W, making it the easier card to power and cool. The Radeon RX 6800 XT draws more in absolute terms but squeezes out more performance per watt, so budget for a beefier PSU if you go that route.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The Radeon RX 6800 XT's 16GB (vs 12GB on the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) gives it more room for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative or AI workloads.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 6800 XT offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or Radeon RX 6800 XT?
The Radeon RX 6800 XT is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Radeon RX 6800 XT better than the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or the Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Is the Radeon RX 6800 XT worth the extra $250 CAD over the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Does the Radeon RX 6800 XT have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 2 |
| Process Node | Samsung 8nm | TSMC N7 |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 3,584 | 4,608✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 28 | 72✓ |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 112 | — |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,320 MHz | 1,825 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,777 MHz | 2,250 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit | 256-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 15 Gbps | 16 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 360 GB/s | 512 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 170 W✓ | 300 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Released | Feb 2021 | Oct 2020 |
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